What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingSodium Cocoyl Methyl Isethionate
Glycerin
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingSodium Methyl Isethionate
EmulsifyingSodium Cocoate
CleansingCoco-Glucoside
CleansingCoconut Acid
CleansingWheat Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Meal Extract
SoothingBisabolol
AntioxidantPolyquaternium-6
Glycol Distearate
EmollientTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Disodium EDTA
Potassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingWater, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Cocoyl Methyl Isethionate, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Sodium Methyl Isethionate, Sodium Cocoate, Coco-Glucoside, Coconut Acid, Wheat Amino Acids, Avena Sativa Meal Extract, Bisabolol, Polyquaternium-6, Glycol Distearate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Disodium EDTA, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingSodium Cocoyl Methyl Isethionate
Glycerin
HumectantLauryl Glucoside
CleansingCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingSodium Methyl Isethionate
EmulsifyingRaphanus Sativus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningTriticum Vulgare Bran Extract
Skin ConditioningCoconut Acid
CleansingSclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
HumectantCamellia Oleifera Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSodium Methyl Oleoyl Taurate
CleansingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeParfum
MaskingPolyquaternium-10
Coco-Glucoside
CleansingSodium Cocoate
CleansingSalicylic Acid
MaskingGlycol Distearate
EmollientCetearyl Nonanoate
EmollientTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
MaskingEthylhexyl Isononanoate
EmollientCitric Acid
BufferingSorbic Acid
PreservativeLinoleic Acid
CleansingSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingWater, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Cocoyl Methyl Isethionate, Glycerin, Lauryl Glucoside, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Sodium Methyl Isethionate, Raphanus Sativus Seed Extract, Triticum Vulgare Bran Extract, Coconut Acid, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Sodium Methyl Oleoyl Taurate, Potassium Sorbate, Parfum, Polyquaternium-10, Coco-Glucoside, Sodium Cocoate, Salicylic Acid, Glycol Distearate, Cetearyl Nonanoate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Ethylhexyl Isononanoate, Citric Acid, Sorbic Acid, Linoleic Acid, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Benzyl Alcohol, Linalool, Limonene, Hexyl Cinnamal, Citronellol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidCocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine, a compound with two amino groups.
This ingredient is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy.
Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.
While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions during this study.
Learn more about Cocamidopropyl BetaineCoco-Glucoside is a surfactant, or a cleansing ingredient. It is made from glucose and coconut oil.
Surfactants help gather dirt, oil, and other pollutants from your skin to be rinsed away.
This ingredient is considered gentle and non-comedogenic. However, it may still be irritating for some.
Learn more about Coco-GlucosideCoconut acid is a mixture of fatty acids obtains by hydrolyzing coconut oil and then distilling the fatty acid portion. It works as a cleansing surfactant, emollient, and emulsifier depending on the formulation.
This ingredient is not a single compound but reflects the fatty acid profile of coconut oil itself, which is about 90% saturated. The dominant fatty acid is lauric acid (44-54%) and then myristic acid (13-19%). There are small amount of caprylic, capric, palmitic, oleic, and linoleic acids.
Human testing from CIR has shown no indication this ingredient to be a primary irritant, sensitizer, or phototoxic compound. It's also COSMOS-approved for natural and organic products.
Due to the high fatty acid content, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Coconut AcidGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinGlycol Distearate serves as a pearlizing or opacifying agent in cosmetic products.
It's often included in cleansers and haircare products to give them a lustrous or shimmering appearance.
It is derived from stearic acid, a natural fatty acid commonly found in vegetable oils and animal fats.
Glycol Distearate isn't fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Glycol DistearatePotassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideSodium cocoate is a salt created by saponifying coconut oil. It has cleansing and emulsifying properties.
As a cleansing agent, this ingredient helps reduce the surface tension of dirt, sebum, and other residue in skin and hair. This makes them easier to be rinsed away with water.
We don't have a description for Sodium Cocoyl Methyl Isethionate yet.
We don't have a description for Sodium Methyl Isethionate yet.
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate is used to help stabilize a product.
It is a chelating agent, meaning it helps prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This prevents unwanted reactions in products. Metal ions can come into a product via the water ingredient. They are found in trace amounts and are not known to be harmful.
Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water